Policy Information

Congressional Task Force

NASHIA is working with the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force staff on issues surrounding funding for TBI programs. NASHIA is calling on its members to encourage their Senators and Representatives to join the Task Force or thank them for having already joined.

In March 2001 Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ) and James C. Greenwood (PA) formed a bipartisan Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to further education about and awareness of brain injury (incidence, prevalence, prevention, and treatment) and to support funding for basic and applied research on brain injury rehabilitation and the development of a cure. Currently, Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ) and Todd Platts (PA) are co-chairs.

Mission:

To further education and awareness of brain injury (incidence, prevalence, prevention and treatment) and support funding for basic and applied research on brain injury rehabilitation and development of a cure.
The Task Force will hold up to four meetings and events per year to:

• Brief Members of Congress on the status of brain injury in the US;
• Acquire and assemble reports on the implementation of the TBI Act;
• Recognize and observe Brain Injury Awareness Month;
• Serve as a clearinghouse of information for the Congress and the public;
• Circulate "Dear Colleague" letters to other Members of Congress in support of funding for the TBI Act and other brain injury research and programmatic initiatives; and
• Provide guidance to federal agencies on policies and proposed rulemaking affecting brain injury programs.

The Task Force's first briefing was held June 27, 2001 and focused on brain anatomy, trends in basic and applied research, and the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families. On October 17, 2001, the Task Force hosted an all-day Brain Injury Awareness Fair and reception featuring the activities of federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, and National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research and others. The Awareness Fair has become an annual event with the focus in more recent years on brain injuries among the military, particularly those resulting from the fighting in Iraq.

NASHIA is calling on members to encourage their Senators and Representative to join the Task Force and request that state-based service system capacity issues be addressed at a future briefing.

Members of the 110th Congressional Brain Injury Task Force:

Co-chairs

Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.
Rep. Todd R. Platts

Members

• Neil Abercombie, HI-01
• Jason Altmire, PA-04
• Robert Andrews, NJ-01
• Joe Baca, CA-43
• Brian Baird, WA-03
• Tammy Baldwin, WI-02
• Gresham Barrett, SC-03
• Roscoe G. Bartlett, MD-06
• Howard Berman, CA-28
• Marion Berry, AR-01
• Brian Bilbray, CA-50
• Leonard Boswell IA-03
• Rick Boucher, VA-09
• Allen Boyd, FL-02
• Bob Brady, PA-01
• Bruce Braley, IA-01
• Corrine Brown, FL-03
• Henry Brown, SC-01
• Lois Capps, CA-23
• Mike Capuano, MA-08
• Christopher Carney, PA-10
• Andre Carson, IN-07
• Donna Christensen, VI
• James Clyburn, SC-06
• Danny Davis, IL-07
• Tom Davis, VA-11
• Peter DeFazio, OR-04
• Diana DeGette, CO-01
• Lloyd Doggett, TX-25
• Joe Donnelly, IN-02
• Michael Doyle, PA-14
• Thelma Drake, VA-02
• Rahm Emanuel, IL-05
• Bob Etheridge, NC-02
• Mike Ferguson, NJ-07
• Bob Filner, CA-51
• Randy Forbes, VA-04
• Virgil Goode, VA-05
• Bob Goodlatte, VA-06
• Gene Green, TX-29
• John Hall, NY-19
• Ralph Hall, TX-04
• Phil Hare, IL-17
• Orrin Hatch, UT
• Robin Hayes, NC-08
• S. Herseth Sandlin, SD
• Brian Higgins, NY-27
• Maurice Hinchey, NY-22
• Tim Holden, PA-17
• Rush Holt, NJ-12
• Darlene Hooley, OR-05
• Bob Inglis, SC-04
• Shelia Jackson-Lee, TX-18
• William Jefferson, LA-02
• Tim Johnson, SD
• Paul Kanjorski, PA-11
• Edward Kennedy, MA
• Patrick Kennedy, RI-01
• Dale Kildee, MI-05
• John “Randy” Kuhl, NY-29
• James Langevin, RI-2
• John Larson, CT-01
• Tom Latham, IA-04
• Frank Lautenberg, NJ
• Barbara Lee, CA-09
• Frank LoBiondo, NJ-02
• Edward Markey, MA-07
• Carolyn McCarthy, NY-04
• Thaddeus McCotter, MI-11
• James McDermott, WA- 07
• James McGovern, MA-03
• Michael McNulty, NY-21
• Bob Menendez, NJ
• Michael Michaud, ME-02
• Candice Miller, MI-10
• Dennis Moore, KS-03
• Jim Moran, VA-08
• John Murtha, PA-12
• Marilyn Musgrave, CO-04
• Jerrold Nadler, NY-08
• Richard Neal, MA-02
• E. Holmes Norton, DC
• Frank Pallone, NJ-06
• Donald Payne, NJ-10
• Earl Perlmutter, CO-07
• Collin Peterson, MN-07
• David Price, NC-04
• Jim Ramstad, MN-03
• Mike Rogers, AL-03
• Mike Rogers, MI-08
• Mike Ross, AR-04
• Steve Rothman, NJ-09
• C.A. Ruppersberger, MD-2
• Tim Ryan, OH-17
• Linda Sanchez, CA-39
• Jim Saxton, NJ-03
• Adam Schiff, CA-29
• Allyson Schwartz, PA-13
• Pete Sessions, TX-32
• Chris Shays, CT-04
• Brad Sherman, CA-27
• Louise Slaughter, NY-28
• Vic Snyder, AR-02
• John Spratt, SC-05
• Cliff Stearns, FL-06
• John Tanner, TN-08
• Gene Taylor, MS-04
• Bennie Thompson, MS-02
• Mike Thompson, CA-01
• John Thune, SD
• Patrick Tiberi, OH-12
• Edolphus Towns, NY-10
• Fred Upton, MI-06
• Chris Van Hollen, MD-08
• Tim Walberg, MI-07
• Zach Wamp, TN-03
• Henry Waxman, CA-30
• Peter Welch, VT
• Robert Wexler, FL-19
• Joe Wilson, SC-02
• Heather Wilson, NM-01
• Lynn Woolsey, CA-06
• Albert Wynn, MD-04

NASHIA Congressional Briefing Testimony, March 17, 2005 [Word 46KB]

Letter to the House Appropriations Committee [PDF 175 KB] sent September 20, 2006 from the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force urging support for $19 million for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC).